Self-leveling wheeled plow



Sepa 25, 192s.

J.A H. GROENKE SELF LEVELING WHEELED PLOW Filed Aug. 22, 192'/ 3 Sheets-Shaq?.

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all Groen/ie Sept. 25, 1928.

, 1,685,321 J. H. GROENKE SELF LEVELNG WHEELED PLOW Filed Aug. 22, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwoemto/c Grammy Sept. 25, 1928.

J. H. GROENKE SELF LEVELING WHEELED PLOW Filed Aug. 22, 1927 3 Sheetsheet 5 Inma/toc Jh. Groen/fe @H501 new Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

UNITED sTATEsPAr-ENT oFF-ice.

JOHN H. GROENKE, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BCHER & GIBBiS PLOW COI- PANY, F CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SELF-LEVELING WHEELED PLOW.

Application led August 22, 1927. Serial No. 214,585.

. and a land wheel and a furrow wheel cach journalled at the lower end of a crank axle, the upper shaft end of which is mounted for oscilla-tion on the frame, and there preferably being a power lift mechanism associated with the land wheel and its crank axle, and link means connecting the crank axles with each other, whereby adjusting and leveling of the plows may be attained, and whereby a. power lift applied to the land wheel crank axle will be transmitted Vto the. furrow wheel, and the frame and plows will be elevated for transporting. ,Y r

More particularly my present invention relates to improvements in the link means connecting the crank axles.

Link or other means not including my present improvements have been used heretofore to connect crank axlesof plo-ws of the'foregoing description, but such connecting means have not permitted independent angular adjust-ment at all times of either crank axle and it has been necessary in plowing over Vuneven ground, for the opera-tor, usually the VVtractor driver, to vary the position of the furrow wheel with respect tothe frame by manipulation of the adjusting lever associated the-rewith, with a consequent changer in the position of the land wheel, whereby afurrow ofuneven depth is made.

Accordingly the objects of the present improvements are to provide link means connecting the crank axlesl which permit .independent adjustment at all times of the crank axles, and which permit, while' plowing, slightvertical oscillations of the furrow wheel without disturbing t-he adjustment-of the land wheel. f

Further objects vof the improvements include the/provision of simplified, economically made, and conveniently operated selfleveling plows. l

These and ancillary objects are attained by a construct-ion and arrangement hereinafter set forth in detail and whichmay be stated in general terms as including a frame, one or more plows depending from the frame, a land wheel and a. furrow wheel each journalled at the lower end of a crank axle, t-he upper shaft end of each axle being mounted for oscillation on the frame, a power lift mechanism associated with the land wheel, its crank axle,

and the frame, and means connecting the crank axles with each other including a crank arm on the upper shaft end of cach axle, a rigid link having a slot land pin connection atone end with one of the crank arms and at the other end with the otherrcrank arm, a leverpivoted on the link, a. connecting bar pivotally connected at one of its ends with the lever-,and at its other end with one of the crank arms, and means preferably a notched segment rigidly mountedon the `connecting bar and concentricwith its pivotal connect-ion with the lever andcooperating with a latch on the lever for varying and securing the angular relationship between the link, the

l lever, and the bar.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The improved plow isv provided with a frame indicated generally'at 10, and including a-'land side beam`11 and a furrow side beam 12 converging at their forward ends and connected with each other as at 13, a forwardextension 14 of the beam 12 being downwardly angled and provided at its forward endwith coupling means 15 for connecting the plow with draft means not shown, such as a tractor. The beams 11 and 12 are bent to be laterally spaced from and parallel with each other at Athe rear of their forward connection at 13; and the beam 11 extends rearwardly beyond the rear end of the beamy 12.

ill

ioscillation in suitable bearings depending from'the frame lO; and the crank axle 22 ex# tends outwardly and downwardly from the fran'ievlO, and is provided atits lower end with a power lift mechanism indicated gene 1ally at 23 and including a laterally extending'stub shaft 24 journalled at its inner end in a suitable bracket 25 rigidly mounted at the lower end of the crank axle 22, and 'pro-A vided at its outer end with a clutch mounting 26 which carries vfor rotation a. land wheel 27;

The clutch mounting 26 is j irovided-with a control lever 28 mounted for oscillation on the bracket 25,and the Vlever 28 is proifided vwith a laterally extending roller 29 adapted for consecutive oscillation into and out of one of a pair of 4oppositely spaced U notches 3Q inthe clutchmounting 2G; whereby when the roller29, is engagedin either ofthe U notches,

the clutch is inoj'iei'ative,tlie roller V29 being normally'maintained in vone of the .notches 30' as Aby means ofa. spring pressedrod 3l.

lVlien the roller`29 is withdraw from Aone of the notches 30, the wheel 27 isclutch connected with the stub shaft 24, rotfl, the same a half revolution until the roller 29 is engaged with the opposite U notch, thereby upo-n the frame 10 concentric with the land wheel adjusting lever pivot 35, and a latch 37 on the adjusting lever permits the same to be' secured in anydesired angular relationship with the frame, thereby determining the vgnlarr relationship of the crank axle 22 and the relative elevation of the wheel 2.7 with re?V spect to the frame. 7 l, Y

Longitudinally spaced forward of the land wheel axleshaftend 21, an upper laterally extending shaft end SS'of a furrowwlicel crank axle'lQ is journalled foroseillation in suit-able bearings depending from the Vframe l0; and the crank axle 39 extends outwardly 'Y and downwardly from the frame 1 0, and terminutes yat its lower end in a' furrow wheel spindle 4() upon .which furrow wheel 4l is therewith.

journalled.

A 'n'upwardly extending crank arm- 42 is rigidly mounted on-tlie shaft endlBS for oscillation therewith; and a crank arm 43 preferably shorter Vthan thearm 42,-is rigidly iounted on the shaft end 2l for oscillation `An outwardly extending pin 44 is mounted at the outer end of the crank arm 43, andan inwardlv extending pin 45 is mountedy at the outer end of the crank arm 42; and the pin 44 slidably extends through aslot 46 in the rear end of a rigid connecting link 47, and there being a slot 48 at the forward end of the link 4T through which the'pin 4 5slidably ext-ends.- A pivot pin .49 is rigidly mounted on the linl: 41'?V preferably between the slots in the ends thereof, anda furrow wheel adjusting lever is mounted' for oscillation on the pin 49. M i Y y A pin 5l on the lever 50 pivotallysecures one end of a connecting bar 52, the other'end of which is pivotally' mounted on the pinr4. A notched segment 53concentric'with the pinl is rigidly mounted on the connecting bar and cooperates with aV latch 54on the lever for vai-ying and securing the ingular relationship between the lever 50, the bar and the link 4T.

As 'illustrated in'Fig. 1thev plow is adf just-cd for jilowing, the ele f'atingcrank arm 32 of the clutch moitinti'ng 26 being'vdirected downward, and the roller 29 being engaged in one of the U notches 30, thereby breaking the clutch connection between the land wheel 27 and the elevating crank arm 32A In this position of the crank ar1n732, oscillating the land wheel adjusting lever 34 towards the rea-r raises the land wheel 27, but by reason of the slot 46 in the' link 47 the land wheel 27 may be raised orlowered .a certain distance, depending on the length of the slot 46. without changing the'adjustment of the furrow wheel 4l. i

The depth of the plowed furrow is dependent upon the relative elevations of the land SOV wheel 27 and the bottoms of the plows 17 and l5), and for plowing on the level thereV is `no necessity for the furrow wheel 41 to rigidly supportits side of the frame.

Consequently thel furrow wheel adjusting lever 50 lis fixed in such posit-ion as indicated in Fig. l that the distance betweentlie pins 45 and'49 approximate the minimum possible,'andl the pin 44'nnderinormal plowing condition lies longitudinally midway of its slot 46, whereby the furrow wheel 4l is pern'iitted relativelyY vslight upwardV downward movements as may be caused'bylioles at the bottom of the-furrow or unevenness of the ground without interfering with the adjustment ofthe land wheel 27.

The function oit-any link means between the'land wheel axle crank arm 43 and the furrow wheel axle crank arm 42' is to transmit the power lift derived fromvfthe land vwheel 29,wlien the power liftinechanism is functioning, to the Afurrow wheel crank axle 39 whereby the furrowfwheel crank axle will elevate and support its sharejof the vplow loadwhen the plows are elevated'at the end of a furrow or for transporting as'iiidicated in Fig. 4. y Y

At the end of a furrow, the roller29 is withdrawn from engagement with thenotch imi 30 with which it has been'engaged'during the plowing` opera-tion, thereby causing the, Vclutch to connect the land wheel 2T with the Stub shaft 24, rotating the same a half revolution and rotating there'with'to extend upto elevate its portion of the frame and plow load.

The plows may then be lowered into plowing position, by again withdrawing the roller 29 from the notch 30 with which it is then engaged, and permitting another substantially half revolution of the crank arm 32 back to the position illustrated in Fig. l.

By the construction and arrangement for the wheeled plow as aforesaid, including a slot and pin connection between each crank arm 42 and 43 and the connecting link 47 therefor, the elevation of either `the land wheel. or the furrow wheel may be varied with respect to the frame within a certain degree independent of the elevation of the other, and the furrow wheel is permitted toV rise and fall over any unevenness of the ground at the bottom of the furrow without disturbing the relative adjustment of the land wheel. and at the same time this improved link connection permits the furrow wheel to function properly with the land wheel when the same is operated for powerlifting the frame and plows as aforesaid.

lt is obvious that other agricultural implements may be substituted for the plows illustrated herein as depending from the frame l() without inany way affecting the operation of the apparatus as hereinbefore set forth.

Fig. 2 illustrates the relativepositions ofthe furrow wheel adjusting' lever 50, the link 4-7 and the bar 52. when the distance between the pins 415 and 49 has been increased by oscillating the furrow wheel adjusting,lr lever down ward, with a consequent oscillation of the furrow wheel downward.

As is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, this adjustment of the furrow wheel for hill-side plowing is made entirely independent of the adi ustment of the land side wheel.

For preventing' the furrow wheel axle crank arm 42 from oscillatingr too far forward when the plows are elevatedv` a stop exten ds laterally-outward from the beam l2 for abutment with an inwardly extending web 56 on the arm 42, whereby the furrow wheel 4l is always maintained forward of the vertical plane passing` through the axis of the shaft 38 of the furrow wheel crank'axle 39, whereby the furrow wheel and the crank axle are always in position to` permit the proper functioning ofthe mechanism as hereinbefore described.

I claim:

l. An agricultural implement including a frame, a Vpair of crank axles each mounted at its upper shaft end for oscillation on the frame, a land wheel journalled at the lower end of one of the crank axles. a furrow wheel journalled at the lower end of the other crank a xle, a crank arm rigidly moun ted on the upper shaft end of eac-h axle, a rigid link havin;Y a slot and pin connection at one of its ends with one of the crank arms and at its other end with the other crank arm. a lever pivotally mounted on the link, a connecting bar pivotally connected at one of itsvends with the lever and at its other end with one of the crank'arms, and means for selectively varyinfry and securing the angular relationship Vbetween the link, the lever, and the bar.

2. An agricultural implement including a frame, a pair of crank axles each mounted at its upper shaft end for oscillation on the frame, a land wheel iournalled at the lower end of one of the crank axles, a furrow wheel journalled at the lower end of the other crank axle, a crank arm rigidly'mounted on the upper shaft end of-each axle, a rigid link havingr a slotand pin connection at one of its ends with one of the crank arms and at its other end with theother crank arm, a lever pivotally mounted on the link between the crank arms a connecting bar pivotally connected at one of its ends with the lever and at its other end with one of the crank arms, and means for selectively varying and securing the angular relationship between the link, the lever, and the bar. Y

3. An agricultural implement including a frame, a pair of crank axles each mounted at its upper shaft en'd for oscillation on the frame, a land wheel journalled at the lower end of one of the crank axles, a furrow wheel journalled at the lower end .of the other crank axle, a crank arm rigidly mounted on the upper shaft end of each `axle,a rigid link havinga slot and pin connection at one of its ends with one of the crank arms and at its other end with the other crank arm, a lever pivotally mounted on the link.` a connecting bar pivotally connected at one of its ends with the lever and at the other end with the furrow wheel axle crank arm, and means for selectively varyingy and securing theV angular relationship between the link, the lever, and the bar. Y

1 l. An agricultural implement including a frame. a pair of crank axles each mounted at its upper shaft. end` for oscillation on the frame, a land wheel journalled at the lower end of one of the crank axles, a furrow wheel ournalled at the lower end of the othercrank axle,acrank arm rigidly mounted. on theupper shaft end of cach axle, a rigid link having a slot and pin connection. at one of its ends with one of the crank arms and at its other end with the other crank arm, a lever pivotally mounted on the link, a connectinghar pivotallyv Connected at one oit' its ends with the lever and at its other end with one of kthecrank arms, means for selectively varying and securing the angular relationship between the link, the lever, and the bar, and a stop on the frame for limiting,l

f oscillation in one direction of one of the crank 5. An agricultural implement.including a frame', a pair of crank axles each mounted at its upper shaft end for oscillation on the frame, a power lift mechanism anda land wheel mounted at the lower end of one of the crank axles., a furrow wheel journalled at the lower end of the other crank axle, a crank arm .furrow wheel axle crank arm. v Y.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name.

'JOHN H. eRoENKE.' 

